Tax planning news
Greener models edging SUVs out of used-car market
30 July, 2007
In this year’s budget Gordon Brown announced he would be levying higher taxes on 4x4 owners, but demand for gas-guzzlers has held firm regardless
According to statistics from second-hand car dealerships across the country, the public still remain infatuated with bigger cars despite the financial penalties they bring. MPVs, sports cars and SUVs are the most popular types of second-hand vehicle, alongside luxury models.
Environmental concerns are finally showing on the radar though after Experian reported a shift away from SUVs for the first time in a decade. Kirk Fletcher, managing director of Experian’s Automotive division, commented: “High performance sports cars are just as guilty of high CO2 emission as SUVs, but the SUVs seem to have taken the brunt of the negative media attention and it can be argued that this is impacting on sales.
“The statistics also indicate a small, but growing move towards smaller used cars over the past few years. Cars falling into the lower medium segment, such as the Ford Focus, are still the most popular types of cars in the UK, with the highest number of sales. However, the gap between this segment and super minis, such as the Vauxhall Corsa, is closing fast. In fact, for the first time ever, 2006 saw the highest number of used car sales come from the super minis.
With ever-fluctuating petrol prices weighing heavier on the pockets of those driving gas-guzzlers, smaller cars which prove cheaper to run are clawing their way back into the British second-hand market.
Bookmark with:
